Toy gun construction



Dec. 24, 1957 R. L. WEHRFRITZ 2,817,329

TOY GUN CONSTRUCTION Filed May s, 1956 INVENTORQ MAW/W72 United Stts The present invention relates to an improved construe tion of a toy gun of the type in which a simulated bullet or like missile is propelled from the gun barrel by means of a propulsion spring.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved toy gun of such simple construction as to be comprised in its entirety by only five principal parts in cluding a simulated projectile.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel toy gun of sturdy and reliable construction particularly suited to large-scale low-cost mass production, and one which may easily and readily be miniaturized without change or construction for use in the field of novelty jewelry.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the detailed description proceeds in the light of the drawing forming a part of this application and in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in top plan view, and Fig. 2 in elevational cross-sectional View, a toy gun embodying the present invention; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional elevational views i1- lustrating certain phases of operation of the toy gun herein disclosed.

gun barrel 13 and integral stock 14. The includes a unitary simulated hammer and trigger me1nber 15, formed as a sheet metal stamping or metal casting, pivotally supported by a pin 16 within a transverse may be a pin integrally die cast or otherwise integrally formed with one of the mating half-sections ll) or 11.

The member 15' includes a simulated hammer spur 18and a finger trigger 19, and is providedwith a hammer projection 26 in alignment with and extending lngitudinally down the barrel 13 but forming a significant angle to the axis of the latter. An elongated, helical, projectilemember 15 also includes an integrally formed latch-dog 22, which may be shaped to simulate a barrel supporting 2317,32? Patented Dec. 24, 1957 27 as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3.

Thus the projectile may be provided with an eye 28 at its forward chain, and the rel 13 near its forward end.

The projectile within the gun barrel 13 and forcing it down the barrel the spring 21 bethe head 25 of 21 now propels pressure placed upon the trigger 19 to withdraw the latch-dog 22 from as the projectile moves out of engagement 21. Thus the occur were the rear end of the spring not retained by the hammer projection 20. Upon manual release of the not only by the latch-dog 22 but also by the hammer projection 20 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The spring 21 is accordingly always positively retained within the gun barsturdy and suitable for large-scale low-cost mass production adaptable both for the toy field and the field of novelty jewelry.

What is claimed is:

tioned in said unitary structure at the stock end of said barrel and including a hammer projection enclosed within said structure to extend longitudinally along said barrel and forming an angle with respect to the axis thereof, an elongated helical projectile-propulsion spring positioned within said barrel with one end of said spring extending over and retained by said hammer projection, said angle of said projection bending said spring out of alignment to derive a spring biasing force tending to maintain said hammer in cocked position even in the absence of a compressive force longitudinally of said spring, and a latch actuated by said member for releasably latching a projectile inserted into position in said barrel against the longitudinal compressive force of said spring.

2. A toy gun comprising, mutually mating half-portion members secured together as a unitary structure providing a hollow gun barrel and integral stock having a transverse slot extending therethrough at the rear end of said barrel, a unitary simulated hammer and trigger member pivotally secured in said transverse slot and including an integrally formed hammer projection enclosed within said structure to extend longitudinally along said barrel and forming an angle with respect to the axis thereof, an elongated helical projectile-propulsion spring positioned within said barrel with one end of said spring extending over and retained by said hammer projection, said angle of said projection bending said spring out of alignment to derive a spring biasing force tending to maintain said hammer in cocked position even in the absence of a compressive force longitudinally of said spring, and a latch actuated by said member for releasably latching a projectile inserted into position in said barrel against the longitudinal compressive force of said spring.

3. A toy gun comprising, mutually mating half-portion members secured together as a unitary structure providing a hollow gun barrel and integral stock, said gun barrel having a latch aperture intermediate its length to receive a latch element, a unitary simulated hammer and trigger member pivotally positioned in said unitary structure at the stock end of said barrel and including an integral hammer projection enclosed within said structure to extend longitudinally along said barrel and forming an angle with respect to the axis thereof and further including an integral latch-dog extending along and exteriorly of said barrel with a latch element positioned in said barrel aperture and movable into latching engagement with the grooved head of a projectile inserted in said barrel, and an elongated helical projectile-propulsion spring positioned within said barrel with one end of said spring extending over and retained by said hammer projection, said angle of said projection bending said spring out of alignment to derive a spring biasing force tending to maintain said hammer in cocked position even in the absence of a compressive force longitudinally of said spring.

4. A toy gun comprising: mutually mating half-portion body members secured together as a unitary structure providing a hollow gun barrel, a gun stock, and a gun-lock chamber rearwardly of said barrel; a metal member having the configuration of a simulated hammer portion including a downwardly and forwardly projecting lug at the general position of a rim-fire percussion impacting element thereof, a trigger portion, and a latch-dog portion; a pivot pin pivotally supporting said metal member in said gun-lock chamber with said lug above said pivot pin and aligned with the bore of said barrel and said latch-dog generally aligned with said pivot pin and extending along the underside of said barrel as a simulated elongated support thereof; and an elongated helical projectile-propulsion spring slidably positioned within said bore of said barrel with the rear end of said spring extending over, anchored by, and bent out of alignment by said hammer lug and providing an ever present bias force tending to move said simulated hammer portion to cocked position; said latchdog including at its forward end a latch element extending through a cooperating blind aperture in the underside of said barrel into latchable engagement with a projectile in firing position in said barrel.

5. A toy gun in accordance with claim 4 which includes a projectile tethered to said gun and including a convex mushroom-shaped head engageable with the open end of said spring and providing a circumferential latching groove having an acute rake angle cooperating with a corresponding acute-rake-angle surface provided on said latch element for positive latch-lock engagement.

6. A toy gun comprising a structure providing a hollow gun barrel and integral stock, a unitary simulated hammer and trigger member pivotally positioned in said structure at the stock end of said barrel and including an integral hammer projection enclosed Within said structure to extend longitudinally along said barrel and forming :an angle with respect to the axis thereof and further including an integral latch-dog extending along said barrel with a latch element thereon movable with said member to projectile-engaging position within said barrel and projectile-disengaging position, and an elongated helical projectile-propulsion spring positioned within said barrel with one end of said spring extending over and retained by said hammer projection, said angle of said projection bending said spring out of alignment to derive a spring biasing force tending to maintain said hammer in cocked position even in the absence of a compressive force longitudinally of said spring and said projection and latch element respectively locking and latching said spring within said barrel alternately with movement of said latch element to said projectile-engaging and disengaging positions thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

